The coda of the Swan
by Moira.Shipper
Summary: The performance of Janeway before 'Coda'.


**Author:** BROSMP

 **Summary:** The performance of Janeway before 'Coda'.

 **The Coda of the Swan**

 _You taught me the courage of stars before you left_

 _How light carries on endlessly, even after death_

 _With shortness of breath, you explained the infinite_

 _How rare and beautiful it is to even exist_

 **Saturn-Sleeping at last**

"Hang on, Kathryn..." Chakotay asked desperately as he squeezed her nose and parted her lips with his other hand, pressing his lips to hers and placing oxygen in her lungs, repeating the process.

No, if he lost her, he would lose everything. Janeway was the reason for his peace, she was the great love of his life.

"Don't you die on me, Kathryn!" He demanded, lifting his lips from hers, massaging her chest. "Start breathing! Breathe, damn it!"

The electric storm on that planet continued, but Chakotay only had eyes for what he was doing and continued the cardiac massage, faster and faster, as his fear increased.

"Don't do this to me, Kathryn... Come on, Katrhyn, breathe..." His tanned hands trembled as he insisted, and the lightning flashes lit the clearing in which they stood, showing the wrinkles of worry and despair on his face. "Kathryn, listen to me, you have to breathe. Start breathing! Come on, come on!"

Chakotay felt a tear trickle down his face, seeing that nothing was bringing her back to him and then, he stopped the massage, lowering his head again holding her nose and parting her lips again, blowing oxygen in her one last time, feeling the tears flow as he held her body, hugging her tightly and burying her face on his chest and his nose ion her hair, his lips parted as he repeated in the midst of the cry:

"No Kathryn, you can't die, I should have told you out loud yesterday that I loved you..."

He kept hugging her still body, staring into the nowhere in front of them and remembering their last happy night, during the talent show.

 _The lights lit up the stage, showing Captain Kathryn Janeway dressed in a simple white dance colan with no feather crown or tutu, and her serene face and a light makeup showed that she didn't need anything else to do it, and she began to dance the choreography of the "Death of the White Swan" that she had learned as a child, walking around the stage according to Tchaikovsky's music, making arm movements._

 _Chakotay, who was seated in front of her, felt more at peace than ever, seeing his captain dancing across the stage and, despite being simple moves, taught to children in the ballet, they were unhurried and graceful._

 _He felt his heart then fill with pride and, with love for that wonderful woman who was Janeway, full of courage, intelligent, beautiful but above all compassionate. The reason he had changed and left his anger aside to follow her. Oh, how he loved her and even if she insisted on discouraging relationships between the crew, he would remain beside her._

 _"I love you, my Kayhryn..." He murmured, watching the woman end up in the pose, sitting on the floor, arms outstretched forward and head lying over them and everyone applauded, including Chakotay, who stood._

When Chakotay laid her body gently on the ground, preparing for the most difficult moments that would be the rest of his life, Voyager's other shuttlecraft landed and from there, Tuvok and the doctor appeared, and Chakotay felt a silver thread of hope.

When Janeway woke up, in the cave, she saw Tuvok's eyes, the doctor and Chakotay over her and the first two moved away for a moment, after the doctor explained what had happened, Janeway saw that despite the smile of relief on Chakotay's face, there was a trace of dried tears and he helped her to sit gently.

Janeway's lips parted hre lips and her brow furrowed, staring at Chakotay and remembering what the alien had made her see, the man's despair making mouth to mouth, him crying, and she felt the weight of almost dying and leaving so many things unsaid to Chakotay behind and being hit by them.

She wanted to keep her mask at that moment to not make him sadder, but Chakotay oppened his arms and Janeway buried her face on his chest, feeling the warmth of his body comforting her, as well as the love that came along.

Chakotay breathed a sigh of relief at the weight of her body on his arms, knowing that they had survived another day in the Delta Quadrant. He stroked her back gently, feeling her hands against his chest and then she looked up and Chakotay felt her blue eyes on him and so he looked down, seeing the parted lips and the forehead still wrinkled, as if she wanted to say something, but she had difficulty and he stroked her cheek gently saying:

"You can tell me..."

"When I saw you doing CPR, I heard you say that you wanted to tell me out loud that you loved me before." She admitted, her eyes shining and Chakotay stared at her in surprise, and she nodded, speaking honestly, her voice with a touch of nervousness:

"What I'm going to tell you now has nothing to do with the 'shock' or near-death experience. I'll tell you why I should have said long enough, I love you Chakotay. And it wasn't just because of the protocols that I didn't want to get involved with you, but for fear of you one day ending up dying like my ex, Justin..."

"Kathryn..." He murmured, continuing the caress on her flushed cheek and he felt his heart quicken with the statement, his eyes glittering as she said,

"But I don't want to live with fear and then resignation... I love you, you make me feel loved, protected." Kathryn said, opening a beautiful smile and lifting a hand from his chest, gently touching his tattoo, making the man shiver and he said, his voice full of passion:

"You just made me the happiest man in all the Quadrants, Kathryn. I love you." He murmured, smiling.

Slowly, their lips met in a sweet kiss, and Kathryn's hand fell slowly from his tattoo to his neck, feeling his lips move beneath hers, making her heart race and fill with love while she parted her lips and their tongues met.

That night, back to Voyager and with orders from the doctor not to work until the following afternoon, the two were running the program of the talent show and were on stage.

Kathryn wore a white, simple dress that reached her knees, wearing a low heel and loose hair. She danced a soft and romantic song with Chakotay, who was elegant in black and he held one of her hands with his, leaving the other around her back and Kathryn leaned her face against his shoulder, letting him drive the movements, feeling the perfection of the moment.

Chakotay slowed down until they were barely moving and nudged her face gently with his and she lifted it, smiling and meeting Chakotay's eyes, which shone as he smiled, touching his forehead to hers and they kissed.

The kiss this time was more demanding and Chakotay ran a hand down her back, bringing her closer, feeling the woman nibble on his lower lip as her hands teased him, going to his chest and massaging him and he moaned.

One of Chakotay's hands went to her waist and rose slowly, caressing a breast and making her gasp, before he deepened the kiss, continuing the caress, before going to her back and down to her buttocks, squeezing her, bringing her closer, and both felt their hearts racing and adrenaline rushing.

When they broke the kiss, breathless, Kathryn wrapped both arms around his neck, staring at him.

"You make me feel so good..." She murmured, still smiling and he leaned his lips to hers, before pulling them a few inches away, seeing her face flushed.

"And you bring me peace, my white swan."

She laughed, tilting her head back slightly to reach his lips in a kiss, before they returned to waltz one last song on the stage.


End file.
